Can opener and household utility



Dec 8, 1953 L. M. WESTERHOUSE CAN OPENER AND HOUSEHOLD UTILITY Filed Aug. 6, 1951 Patented Dec. 8, 1953 -UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a can opener in combination with several household utilities consisting of a pointed portion for piercing the tops of milk cans or similar purposes, a spout former for providing a spout on the edge of a can, a bottle cap remover, and a screw driver. With reference to the can opener the principal feature is simple means for opening tin cans by use of a sharp edge fulcrum and blade, the fulcrum being positioned for use under the bottom of the rim that surrounds the outside of the top of an ordinary tin can and having the blade adapted to operate in conjunction with the fulcrum in cutting around and along the inside of the edge of the top of the can.

The device is shown in two structures, one consisting of a single piece of metal and the other comprising several parts mounted together.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the drawing and description.

By referring generally to the drawing, a part' of this application, it will be observed that Fig. i is a top plan view on line I-I of Fig. 2 of the device as it would appear in use opening a can indicated in broken lines; Fig. 2 is a view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view, part cut away, showing a modified structure of the main portion of the device; Fig. 4 is a detail view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 showing how the latching hooks integral with the handle portions hold the same together when not in use.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing in detail it will be seen that the can opener comprises handle portions I and 2, the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 consisting of one piece of metal, and the structure shown in Fig. 3 consisting of four pieces. Portion 2 is provided with a sharp off-set edge portion 3 bent inward and adapted to hook under the top rim that surrounds all types of tin cans. This sharp edge portion 3 acts as a fulcrum for the blade 4 when the handle portions are moved downward and upward by manual operation while cutting out the top of a can. The upward and downward positions are plainly shown in Fig. 2, by full lines in upward and broken lines in downward positions. The connecting spring portion 5 is set to normally hold the device in the upward position, the urge of the spring being overcome by manual means when the opener is in use. In the other structure a separate spring '5 is used with its ends in slots 'I and 8 and a pivot 9 as a fulcrum between the main portions I0 and II. The blade I2 of this structure starts between the sharp fulcrum 3 and the front of the device and cuts toward the handle portions. In the other structure the blade 4 starts between the sharp fulcrum 3 and the handle portions. Each structure is provided with an additional can opener I3 and I3', a pointed end I3", screw driver I4, bottle cap remover I5, and slot I5 for forming a spout in the edge of an open can. Companion hooks il and I8 are adapted to hold the handle portions together when not in use. In both structures the spring connections 5 and 6 are also set to urge the blade toward the sharp fulcrum 3 in order to better retain the opener adjacent a can odge when in use.

From the foregoing it will appear that in order to use the device as a can opener the sharp fulcrum 3 is set adjacent the lower edge of the surrounding top rim of a can with the knife point on the top edge and then by manual means compress and release the handle portions with one hand and move the can around with the other hand. This operation will be the same on any size of cans. The other utility features of the device need no explanation of use, the same being well known, except I3 and I3.

The blade Il shown in Fig. 2 starts to cut between the fulcrum and the handle end and produces a longer cut per stroke than the blade shown in Fig. 3 which starts between the fulcrum and the spring end, therefore the type of blade shown in Fig. 2 would be faster and more efcient on large cans especially.

The additional opener integral with one handle end as indicated by I3 and I3 is adapted for use by placing its opening astraddle the edge of a can with its curved portion end under the lower edge of the can rim and then moving the cutting edge into and around the edge of the can top.

lhe opener may be made of any material suitable for the purpose, but I prefer to use steel. Also the opener may be made in different sizes and capacities.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to limit same to the exact and precise details of structure, but reserve the right to make all modiiications and changes so long as they remain within the scope of the invention and the following claim.

Having described my invention I claim:

A can opener of the character described comprising, a single piece of metal dening a rounded end portion as a spring with two portions extending from the rounded portion as handle portions, said spring portion being set normally to hold the 2,661,527 3 4 handle portions apart, one of the said handle References Cited in the le of this patent portions being the lower handle and the other being the upper handle, an off-set portion in the UNITED STATES PATENTS upper edge of the lower handle portion, said offset having a sharp edge, the upper handle por- 5 Nlugegg Limlvame Jan Dlatelgzs tion having a pointed knife positioned adjacent the off-set sharp portion, said olf-set sharp por- FOREIGN PATENTS tion being adapted for use as a fulcrum when placed adjacent the under edge of the rim of a Number Country .Y A Date tin can with the point of the knife on the edge 10 68,486 `Sweden Nov; 159, 1929 of the top'pf 'the can.

LOUIS M. WESTERHOUSE. 

